Reciprocable carriage



Aug. 14, 1945. H, E. SOMES RECIPROCABLE CARRIAGE Filed my 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l H0wardE. Some-s 1 I l 1 I I INVENTOR AITORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1945 RECIPROCABLE CARRIAGE Howard E. Somes, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Budd Induction Heating, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a

corporation of Michigan Application May 19, 1944, Serial No. 536,239

4 Claims.

This invention relates to machine and other tools having a work supporting carriage supported on guide rods for reciprocation throughout a stroke of considerable length.

In various types of work on relatively heavy articles, such as, for example, long tubes or cylinders, it is necessary to support the work on a reciprooable carriage mounted on guide rods for a relatively long stroke. In a long tube, or cylinders, for example, wherein Wonk is performed from end-to-end, the guide rods for the carriage must, of necessity, be at least twice as long as the work itself.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel arrangement for tools of the above character whereby to prevent deflection of the carriage guide rods during the travel of the carriage thereover and thereby permit precision work to be performed on the workpiece with a predetermined degree of accuracy.

With the above and other objects in View which will be apparent from the following description to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, the present invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and then claimed.

In the drawings which illustrate a suitable embodiment of the invention:

Figures 1 and 2 are front and side elevations, respectively, of an induction heat treating machine the improvements of the present invention incorporated therein;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section taken substantially on the line 3-3;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts through out the several views, I have selected for illustration of the present invention, an induction heat treating machine having a main vertically extending body member II], the front side of which is recessed as indicated at I I in Figure 3.

Secured to the front side of the body member III by means of upper and lower brackets I2 and I3 are a pair of vertically extending guide rods I4, the brackets I2 and I3 holding the guide rods a carriage embodying cylinders I6 interconnected at their upper and lower ends by cross members I1 and I8. respectively. The carriage is reciprocated by fluid pressure and to this end the guide rods I4 are provided with piston portions I9 with which'the cylinders I6 have sliding engagement. Fluid under pressure is admitted to the opposite sides of the piston portions I9 to raise or lower the carriage, as the case may be, the fluid acting against the ends of the cylinders I6 and the piston portions, as is well known in the art. Since the present invention is not concerned with the particular manner of reciprocating the carriage, the various hydraulic connections have not been shown. Such connections are, however, well known in the art.

In the embodiment selected for illustration, a tubular workpiece W is supported between suitable chucking members 20 carried by the cross members I1 and I8. In this embodiment, the inner wall surface is to be internally heat treated. To this end an induction heating head 2I is supported by an arbor 22 suspended from the upper end of the body member ID in coaxial alignment with the tubular workpiece W. A suitable quenching head 23 is shown in engagement with the heat head 2 I, the quench head 23 being supported on a supply tube 24 extendable coaxially upwardly from the bottom of the machine through the workpiece. The particular manner of supporting the workpiece W in the chucks 20 and the construction and operation of the heating heads forms no part of the present invention. However, reference may be made to my copending application, Serial No. 392,867, filed May 10, 1941, for a complete description and operation of these parts.

In the operation of the apparatus the carriage is first moved to the upper end of the machine, and the operation of heating and quenching takes place during the downwardly travel of the carriage. Such operation requires that the Workpiece be maintained coaxial with the induction heating head 2| during the entire travel of the workpiece.

In accordance with the present invention, it is the aim to insure against any material deflection of the guide rods, or at least, to minimize deflection of the guide rods I4, particularly at the central unsupported portions of the rods. In carrying out the invention, longitudinal supporting blocks 25 are secured to the main body III at the corners I5 and rigidly secured to these blocks 25 by screws 26 are parallel guide bars 21 extending vertically for the full height of the The guide rollers 3| in their engagement with the guide bars 2'! during the travel of thejcar The rollers 31 engage the forward and rearward edges of the guide bars 2'1, as shown in Figures 3 and 5.

rollers carried by said bracket means and having their axes of rotation disposed transversely of the axis of said guide rod, said-rollers engaging said guide bar at opposite sides thereof for rolling engagement therewith during reciprocation of said carriage.

2. In a device of the character described having a frame, a,guide rod spaced from said frame and secured at its ends to said frame and a carriage reciprocably mounted on said guide rod, means for preventing deflection of said guide V rod during reciprocation of said carriage thereon'comprising a guide means on said frame exriage thus prevent inward 'or o'utvvard deflection of the guide rods M at their central unsupported regions both during movement of the upper poring movement of the lower portion of the car riage through this region.

Obviously additional brackets. and rollers can be similarly providedon the-cylinders 16 at any desired region intermediate the ends of the same.

Various other guide arrangements well known in the art may be utilized in lieu of-the' rollers and guide bar described.

In the illustration, the machine shown 'has been scaled down from anfull-sizedapparatus capable of handling a twelve-foot section of tubing, the carriage and tube supported thereby having a weight of several thousand pounds.

Although the present invention: has beendescribed in connection with an induction heat treating machine, it is obvious that itis equally as applicable to many other types of machine tools, and also that various changes maybe made in the detailed construction anduarrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and substance of the ihvention; the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1 a

1. In a device of the character described hav-v ing a frame, a guide rod spaced from said frame and secured at its ends to said frame anda carriage reciprocably mounted on said guide rod, means for preventing deflection of said guide rod during reciprocation of said carriage thereon comprising a guide bar rigidly secured tosaid frame parallel to'saidzguide rod, bracket means rigidly secured to said carriage, and a pair of tending parallel to said guide rod, and bracket 'n'iea ns, rigidly secured to said carriage and extendin toward said frame, said bracket means and said guidemeans having relatively movable interengaging parts to prevent deflection of said guide rod toward or away from said frame. 3.1m device of the character described having ;a frame, spaced parallel guide rods spaced from said frame and secured at their ends to said frame and a carriage havingtubular members interconnected ,With each: other and reciprocablymounted on said guide rods, means for preventing deflection of saidrods toward and away. from said. frame comprising, brackets means at the opposite ends of each tubular member ext'ending toward said frame, rigid spaced guide means on said frame parallel to said guide rods, each laterally adjacent the bracket means of a tubular meznber,'and means on the bracket means of each tubular memberslidably interfitting with the adjacent guidemeans for unrestricted movement parallel to said guide rods and restricted against movement toward or away from said frame.

4. In a device having a reciprocable carriage, a frame, a pair of spaced guide rods spaced from said frame and secured at their ends to said frame'said guide'r'ods supporting said carriage for reciprocation thereon, a pair of parallel spaced-means on said frame parallel to said guide rods, and .guidemeans rigidly mounted on and at the opposite ends ofsaid carriage adjacent each of said parallel spaced means and interengaged therewith for'free 'movement in a direction parallel to said guide rods and restricted against movement laterallythereof toward and away from said guiderodsr HOWARD E. SOMES. 

